Rail-fastener.



VT/BOOTH.

RAIL PASTENBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13, 1911.

1,006,054. Patented 0 11:. 17, 1911.

. 2 S HEETB-BHEET 2.

Z6L 22 h COLUMBIA PLANOLIRAPH c0" WASHINGTON, D, c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS BOOTH, OF BOISE, IDAHO.

RAIL-FASTENER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Boo'rrr, citizen of the United States, residing at Boise, in the county of Ada and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railways, and has particular reference to an improved fastening between a metal tie and the rail which is supported thereover.

An object of this invention is to provide a tie with novel fastening means which is automatically adjustable so that the fastening means will tighten or bind against the rails as the wearing surfaces between the tie and the rails become worn, producing a fastening which is at all times tight and in which the parts cannot become detached from the tie or the rails.

Another object of this invention is to provide a strong and comparatively simple fastening device for retaining the rail across the tie, and a fastener which enables the application of the tie to the rail without the necessity of digging out the road bed to gain access to the parts of the same.

The invention further contemplates an improved tie fastener for the rail which holds a yielding block, such as wood, beneath the rail to support the same, and to so relatively arrange the parts that the block of wood can be readily withdrawn from beneath the rail without removing the body of the tie.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construc tion, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of the improved tie, disclosing a rail attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken through the outer end of the tie; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section through one end of the tie and the fastening members; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the tie and fats tener, showing the base of the rail secured thereto; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the wedge member and one end of the tension bar and its adjacent wedge, detached from one another; Fig. 6 is a detail perspec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 1911.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

Serial No. 614,120.

t-ive view of one of the wedges employed; and, Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one end of the tie, disclosing a slight modification of the wedge member.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and inclieated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates the base of a metallic tie provided with upstanding lateral flanges 11 and 12, giving the tie a U-form. The flanges 11 and 12 are provided, at points slightly above the base 10, with pairs of spaced and registering openings 13. Vertical slots 14 extend down from the upper edges of the flanges 11 and 12 and register substantially above the inner marginal edges of the openings 13. The upper edges of the flanges 11 and 12 are notched, as at 15, at the inner marginal edges of the slots 14 to accommodate insulating strips, as hereinafter set forth. A block 16 rests upon the base 10, fitting snugly between the flanges 11 and 12, and lying between the vertical slots 14. One end of the block 16 is recessed at its upper edge, the recess extending across the entire width of the block. The tie is provided with a pair of transverse retaining plates 18 formed preferably of metal and received in the vertical slots 14 at the opposite sides of the block 16. The upper ends of the plates 18 are inturned to provide flanges 19 overhanging the laterally extending portions of the base 20 of a rail. The lower ends of the plates 18 are reduced, as at 21, to fit snugly between the flanges 11 and 12 below the slots 14, and are turned out providing flanges 22 registering with the openings 13. The tie is provided with wedges 23 and 24 comprising, preferably, metallic strips enlarged at their inner endsproviding upper inwardly inclined faces, the strips passing through the flanges 11 and 12 and the enlarged ends binding in the openings 13. The wedges 23 are inserted through the openings 13 in the flange 11 and have their flattened tongues 25 engaging over the outturned flanges 22 and through the opposite openings 13 in the flange 12. The wedges 24 are inserted through the openings 13 from the inside of the flange 12 and have their short tongues 25 resting upon the ends of the tongues 25 of the wedges 23. Registering openings 26 are formed in the outer ends of the tongues 25 receiving fingers 27 depending from the inner edge of the tension bar 28. The tension bar 28 is provided with one of the fingers 27 adjacent to each end thereof and registering with the tongues 25.

The flange 12 carries a vertically movable wedge member 29. The wedge member 29 comprises a metallic plate adapted to rest against the outer side of the flange 12, the lower end of the plate increasing in thickness and being offset outwardly and tapered downwardly providing the wedge portion of the member. The upper extremity of the wedge member 29 is overturned and engages over the upper edge of the flange 12 to hold the wedge member 29 in position. The upper end of the wedge member 29 is notched at its sides to register with the notches 15 in the flange 12. Insulating strips 30 are interposed between the base 20 of the rail, the retaining plate 18, and the upper edge of the wedge member 29 so as to permit the use of this improved fastener in connection with electric railways, in railways utilizing block systems, or in connection with railways in which various electric circuits are desired.

Then the parts of the improved device are assembled, the weight of the rail presses the base flange 20 down upon the block 16 and against the upper edge of the wedge member29. The wedge member 29 thus slides down against the outer side of the flange 12 and against the inner edge of the tension bar 28, forcing the latter out and drawing the wedges 23 and 24 through the openings 13. As the wedges 23 and 24 are provided with upper inclined faces, these inclined faces move against the upper marginal edges of the openings 13 and force the tongues 25 down through the openings 13 and.

against the outturned flanges 22 of the retaining plates. The retaining plates 18 are thus drawn down and held snugly against the lateral extensions of the base 20 of the rail. As the block 16 wears, or settles, the rail falls down from the flanges 19 of the retaining plates 18. At the same time, the base 20 of the rail forces the wedge member 29 down between the flange 12 and the tension bar 28, moving the latter out and further binding the wedges 23 and 24 in the openings whereby the retaining plates 18 are drawn down and engage the inturned flanges 19 against the base 20 of the rail. It is thus seen that the operation of the device is automatic, and that the wear upon the block and the other members of the fastener is taken up by the downward movement of the wedge member 29.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings is disclosed a slight modification in which the wedge member 29 is formed of a metallic bar provided with a tapering lower end having a laterally inclined outer side. The tapering end engages obliquely between the side of the flange 12 and the inner edge of the tension bar 28, forcing the latter out when the wedge member 29 is moved down. The upper reduced end of the wedge member 29 is in the form of a shank 31 having inclined ridges or depressions 32 across its outer side to adjustably receive the loop 33 carried against the outer side of the flange 12. The loop 33 is in the form of a length of round ed metal bent U-shape and having a lip 34 adapted to engage through the flange 12 and against the inner side thereof, while the opposite arm of the loop 33 is straight and threaded, as at 35, to receive a detachable clamping nut 36, engaging against the inner side of the flange 12 to hold the loop 33 in the ridges 32. In this modified form the adjustment of the wedge member 29 is not automatic, but is dependent upon the loosening of the loop 33 from the shank 31, and

upon the driving of the wedge member 29 down between the flange 12 and the tension bar 28.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A rail fastener including a tie, a block carried within the tie for supporting a rail, retaining plates slidably adjustable upon the tie for engagement with the rails, transversely sliding wedges disposed in the tie for engagement with the plates to draw the same down against the rail, a tension bar carried against one side of the tie and having connection with the wedges, and a wedge member disposed against the side of the tie for engagement between the tie and the tension bar.

2. A rail fastener including a tie, a block disposed upon the tie for supporting a rail, retaining plates carried by the tie for engagement against the opposite sides of the block and over the flanges of the rail, wedges disposed transversely through the tie for engagement with the retaining plates to draw the same down against the rail, and a wedge member carried upon the tie to bind the wedges in position.

3. A rail fastener including a tie, retaining plates carried by the tie for engagement with the rail, wedges disposed through the tie and engaging with the retaining plates, a tension bar connecting the wedges and arranged at one side of the tie, and a wedge member carried at the side of the tie for engagement between the same and the tension bar.

4. A rail fastener including a tie, a pair of clamping plates carried by the tie for engagement against the opposite sides of a rail, wedges carried in the sides of the tie and having tongues extending through one side of the tie, a tension bar carried across operative connection with the clamping 10 the outer ends of the tongues, and a wedge plates for binding the same against the rail. disposed between the tie and the tension In testimony whereof, I afix my signabar for drawing the wedges into the tie, said ture in presence of two witnesses. tongues engaging said clamping plates. 1

5. In a rail fastener, a tie, spaced clamp- THOMAS BOO ing plates carried by the tie for engagement Vitnesses: wlth a rail, and a blnding member located EDWARD STEIN, against one slde of the tie and having an HOWARD E. STEIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C. 

